Youth choir raises $1 million for children
OLNEY ? Joyful Noise!, the 100-voice youth choir at Oakdale Emory UMC, is making a name for itself, not just because of its contemporary Christian and gospel music, but also for its ability to raise funds for impoverished children.
 |
SUSAN HOOPES |
Joyful Noise! choir members, including, left to right, Marcel Fanara, Melissa Stratton, Emma Newhall and Meghan Hoopes, have raised more than $1 million. |
When Tom and Becki Price took over the youth choir in 1993, it had only 12 members. It is open to all youth in grades seven through 12 regardless of religious affiliation or musical ability.
A front-page story in the Olney Gazette reported that the choir had raised $1 million for two ministries, Compassion International and the conference-sponsored United for Children, which provides support to children in Zimbabwe. The choir has been responsible for obtaining more than 600 child sponsorships.
The choir has raised $300,000 for United for Children since it began in 2001, Becki Price said.
The group rehearses each week and performs monthly at Oakdale Emory. They offer two benefit concerts each spring for Compassion International, and each June, they go on a weeklong tour. This year, they?ll head for Texas.
Login/Register to leave comment